DAC Events
Upcoming events
DAC Portal Training – Online Webinars
We have two upcoming webinars to take you through the process of making a new application on the Portal, undertaking consultations with external bodies, and completing the Petition Form and Public Notice. Sign up on Eventbrite:
Workshop on church halls and parish-owned property
5th November 2022, 10am-3pm – St Andrew’s Church Chapter House, Biggleswade
This workshop, arranged with the Estates Team, will help you to consider how to make the most of your church hall and other parish-owned property with a range of topics and speakers. For more information and to sign up, keep an eye on the Eventbrite page.
The Big Net Zero Carbon Heating Challenge: Case Study Project
10th November 2022, 10:30am – online
This webinar will share best practice and advice based on a case study project exploring heating options for four churches within the Diocese. For more information and to sign up, see the Eventbrite page.
Opening your Church
24th November 2022, 2:30pm – St Mary’s Church Hitchin
This workshop, led by Nicky Satterford, Church Insurance Consultant at Ecclesiastical, will be a practical session in St Mary’s Church Hitchin, looking at welcome, accessibility, security, health and safety and other matters. To sign up, go to the Eventbrite page.
Past events – programmes and presentations
Understanding Your Church Building
13th January 2022, 10:00am-12pm
This workshop helped participants to consider what is special about their church buildings. Every church has a story to tell about its history, architecture and heritage as well as being a living place of worship and a focus in its community.
A building of wonder, time and place presentation, David Bevan
Fundraising and Engaging Visitors presentation, David Bevan
Useful Resources and Information
Online Fire Risk Assessment Workshop
Thursday 4th November 2021, 7:30pm-9pm, online via Zoom
A workshop covering practical help for your church on why a Fire Risk Assessment is needed and how to go about it.
A video recording of the workshop is available, excluding the Q&A sessions.
Ecclesiastical have provided a list of useful resources.
Online workshop for Quinquennial Inspectors, Friday 9th July 2021
This Zoom workshop covered delivering net zero carbon, best practice Quinquennial Inspections, funding challenges, repairs and maintenance, revised guidance and DAC updates.
Inspectors working in the Diocese and and DAC members spoke and those taking part debated hot topics. Here are the workshop programme and recording of the workshop.
Faculty Rules and other training
Workshops for parishes within St Albans Diocese took place on:
- 14/01/2020 in Hertford Archdeaconry at St Mary, Ware 7:30-9pm
- 23/01/2020 in St Albans Archdeaconry at Holy Trinity, Frogmore 7:30-9pm
- 27/01/2020 in Bedford Archdeaconry at St Swithun, Sandy 7:30-9pm
- 01/02/2020 for Bedford/All Archdeaconries at St Nicholas Church Hall, Barton-le-Clay 10-11:30am
The training was held in advance of changes to the legal framework covering work to church buildings and the appointment of Professional Advisors. Amendments to the Minor Matters Lists A and B were to be amended from 1st April 2020 along with the process for applying for faculties for major works to church buildings. Therefore, the DAC Team were offering a training and information event in each Archdeaconry.
The training also covered matters relevant to everyone who is concerned with the care and development of church and churchyards, including:
- Changes to the faculty process and Minor Matters list – click here for the presentation
- Development of the faculty process using the Diocesan online Portal – click here for the Applicant User Guide
- Commissioning Professional Advisors – click here for the presentation
- Revision of the Churchyard Regulations – click here for the presentation
From Vision to Reality: Developing your project and making it happen
Whether it’s repairs, new facilities or spaces, or other changes to your church building, this day workshop will take you from having the right goal and project to finding the resources to deliver it.
Saturday 11 January, 2020 – St Lawrence Church, High Street, Abbots Langley WD5 0AS.
Developing a Vision – Becky Payne’s presentation
Developing the right project – Wendy Coombey’s presentation
St Nicholas, Stevenage – Anthony Taylor’s presentation
St Mary, Luton – Revd Mike Jones’ presentation
Fundraising – Helen Simpkiss’ presentation
St Michael, Shefford – Pat Goulding and Revd Roni Goodman’s presentation
St Leonard, Flamstead – Revd Thomas Sander’s presentation
Help available from the Diocese – Emma Critchley’s notes and David Bevan’s presentation
Thanks to everyone who came, contributed and made it such a successful and enjoyable day. And extra thanks to Carol, Andy and Lucy who made us so welcome at St Lawrence.
Church 101 – Everything you need to know
Wednesday 27 November 2019
This event covered all key areas – documenting weddings and funerals; record-keeping; archives; burials and churchyard memorials
This was a practical session covering the legal requirements and good practice, equipping you to do what is needed for good administration.
Speakers included:
- Chris Bennett, Hertfordshire County Archivist and Diocesan Archivist
- Neil Turpin, Chief Clerk to the Office of the Court of Faculties
Training for churchwardens 2018
Sessions for new (and some continuing) churchwardens took place in June, July and September for the St Albans, Bedford and Hertford Archdeaconries.
Presentations given by the DAC Pastoral and Advisory Secretary and Historic Church Buildings Support Officer – some of which overlap – are here:
Caring for and changing your church building – the DAC
Caring for your church and working with your architect
Helping your church and making a big noise
QI reports, follow-up and help
Lynne Ingham, Church Insurance Consultant at Ecclesiastical Insurance, provided an introduction to Insurance and Risk Management, which covered the following areas: Background to Ecclesiastical; Valuations; Insurance cover; Advice & Guidance; and Claims. Further information on these topics can be found on the Ecclesiastical website, Church Matters, by following this link .
Architect Mike Dales’ presentation to Bedford Archdeaconry churchwardens is not included because the picture slides were a prompt to his talk and are not helpful on their own.
Church Maintenance Workshop for St Albans Parishes
Regular maintenance and how parishes and volunteers should go about it
14 April 2018 – St Andrews Church, Kimbolton Road, Bedford MK40 2PF and Saturday 24 November, 2018 – St Stephen’s Church, Watling Street, St Albans, AL1 2PT
Programme and presentations by James Innerdale (Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings) – Introduction, Maintenance, Managing Maintenance and Baseline Survey and Maintenance Plans
For information on SPAB’s Faith in Maintenance and Maintenance Co-operatives Project click here
Church architects and surveyors – summer workshop
30 June 2017 – St Andrew’s Centre, St Andrew’s Street, Hertford SG14 1HZ
Tackling Church Repairs – Parish Workshop
A workshop for parishes on organising and funding church repair projects
25 March 2017 – Linslade Community Hall, St Barnabas Church, Waterloo Road, Linslade LU7 2NR
Programme, presentations and other useful information
Feature on SeeRound Online (April 17 Page 4)
